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Lessons I learned on the Road to the Majors
- Updated: February 19, 2023
Lessons I learned on the road to the Majors, Anfernee Seymour reflecting on his journey to the MLB and the roadblock that shattered his dream. This is Anfernee Seymour’s reflections on what happened and why.
THIS WAS BACK IN 2017 when my baseball career was at its PEAK, and then it took a detour. A detour that I couldn’t even understand at the time. However, it has paved the way for my career forward. This detour gave me the passion, motivation, and drive not to allow another player to go through those hardships, depression, and uncertain times alone.
After Three Years in the Minors, The MLB was in sight.
Anfernee Seymour, Photo by Tom Hagerty
With my baseball career peaking, I was getting ready to attend the Arizona Fall League. However, I got suspended for a noise complaint inside my house. As a result, the team suspended me for the remainder of the season, and I was told they would let me know if they were still going to send me to Fall League. Eventually, they took me off the Fall League team.
99.9% of the players in the Fall League played in the MLB the following year. So not being able to attend was devastating for me. I was forced into a depression controlled by the masters of the game.
I know that I must continue to share my story. To help educate and not allow another young player to go through what I did and similar stories like mine.
Lessons I learned on the road to the Majors:
Drafted by the Marlins in the 2014 MLB June Draft, Anfernee Seymour was the Marlins’ 7th Round pick & their Overall Pick: 197 out of American Heritage in Florida. After his first three seasons in the Marlins system, Seymour began to show his worth as a complete player.
Anfernee Seymour Photo by Tom Hagerty
Prospect Roundup: Games of August 14
Braves OF Anfernee Seymour, Class A Advanced Florida: 4-for-5, 2 3B, RBI, R, CS — Much is made of the Braves’ depth in pitching prospects, but their center field depth might also be unrivaled. Ronald Acuña Jr. could be the game’s most exciting outfield prospect next to Victor Robles and Eloy Jiménez, while No. 12 prospect Cristian Pache and 2017 second-rounder Drew Waters give more Toolsie options up the middle at the lower levels.
Then there’s Seymour, ranked 25th in the system with 80-grade speed, according to MLB.com. The 22-year-old switch-hitting outfielder showed off that speed Monday with two triples in a season-best four-hit game. Traded from the Marlins last August, Seymour is enjoying his best offensive season with a .282/.343/.363 line in 73 games with Florida. That’s a low bar for a player with a .650 career OPS and two homers in four Minor League seasons, but Seymour is trying to show he’s more than simply a speedster. A former infielder in the Miami system, he’s played all three outfield spots with the Braves.
Fall Baseball Selection:
Before long, I was getting ready to attend the Arizona Fall League. However, I was suspended for a noise complaint inside my house. As a result, the team suspended me for the remainder of the season, and I was told they would let me know if they were still going to send me to Fall League.
Additionally, the following season, after 24 games, on May 6, 2018, Florida Fire Frogs released RF Anfernee Seymour, and my reaction was, wow.
So, Back to the Marlins:
Hammer Heads, Anfernee Seymoure, Photo by Tom Hagerty
Four days later, on May 10, Marlins signed Free agent RF Anfernee Seymour assigning him to the Jupiter Hammer Heads.
Then after the 2019 season, Seymour elected Free Agency. As a free agent, in 2020, a few teams lined up to watch him play in the 2020 World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Orlando, Florida, for Team Great Britain). However, everything got shut down due to the Covid-19 Virus.
Additionally, 2020 and 2021 saw minor league baseball undergoing significant changes, from a 2020 suspended season to the cutting down of many teams & Leagues.
Taking his Talent to the Indy League.
Childhood friends Todd Isaacs Jr & Anfernee Seymour.
Anfernee has spent the last two years playing Independent League Baseball. Along with childhood friend Todd Isaacs Jr, these two talented outfielders enjoy the game of baseball in the Indy leagues.
Independent baseball leagues are now partnering with Major League Baseball and have benefited from Minor League Teams Contractions that open lots of new markets for their teams in new cities. Now with his third team, the Long Island Ducks, after a trade from Charleston River Dogs.
On to the World Baseball Classic:
After helping Team Great Britain to qualify for the 2023 World Baseball Classics, Seymour continues to showcase his baseball talent against some of the best in the game. There is no better place to do so than in this highly competitive baseball tournament.
Anfernee 2nd from the left with local teammates. Photo from team GB.webp
Always playing the game hard with little to no smile on his face, Seymour had a promising career in baseball. Moreover, he is nine hits shy of 500 career minor-league hits. Seymour did it all in Team Great Britain’s win to qualify for the 2023 WBC and is looking forward to the big tournament in March.
Who Knows:
Who knows. This time around may be another showcase for this talented form Top Baseball Prospect to make another run at MLB. Anfernee Seymour is a complete outfielder.
Anfernee Seymour, Great Britain 2023 WBC Outfielder.
In the meantime, Anfrenee Seymour will enjoy the World Baseball Classics games with Team Great Britain, a few childhood friends and coaches, and new friends.
Go, Team Great Britain.
Finally, go, Team Great Britain!
Jeff Francis
Jeffrey was born on April 29th, 1961, in Nassau, Bahamas to Rejoiner Ann Rolle and Jerome James Francis Etienne. Married to Andrea G. Rolle-Francis, they have two daughters; Janae Latoya Francis, a graduate of Allegany College of Maryland, and Jessica Lee Francis a graduate Potomac State College West Virginia University in Kyser West Virginia. Jeffrey was coaching the sport of baseball from 1980 at the age of 18 years old because he loved the sport as a kid. He started listening to the game over the radio out of Miami Florida in the late 60s and in the early 70s started playing the game locally in various local leagues right up to the premier senior league; a league where all of the current Bahamian minor leaguers played. In 1982, Jeffrey had an invite to a three day tryout with the New York Yankees in Hollywood Florida, which was an awesome experience that is lasting a life time memory for him. Jeffrey has been following the Bahamian baseball players in the minor leagues since 1999 with Angelo Burrows, but found greater interest with the signing of Antoan Richardson in 2005. He also writes a year end review on their play on his Facebook page, Baseball Bahamas, and he has a website with the same name. He has a great following and would love to expose the baseball players to a bigger worldwide audience. He has a good relationship with all the players because he personally coached most of them. His favorite MLB Team is the Detroit Tigers from 1969.
About Jeff Francis
